The exchange came after a day of high‑level talks on trade, defense, and cyber security that ended with a joint statement on bilateral cooperation.
Trump’s remarks focused on two cases that have drawn U.S. attention: Min Zin, a U.S. citizen and Myanmar scholar, and Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai.
Min Zin was arrested on June 9 in Shenzhen on national‑security charges; the U.S. State Department labeled his detention wrongful in August. His wife in Yangon is still waiting for any update on his fate.
Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in February for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious material; his imprisonment has become a symbol of Hong Kong’s shrinking press freedom.
The White House had warned that Trump would bring up these cases, but it has not yet released an official request to Beijing.
China’s foreign ministry is expected to issue a response by the end of the week, after which U.S. officials will decide whether to pursue a diplomatic push on the prisoners.